‘He was everything we dream of becoming’: Sunil Gavaskar’s touching tribute to Garry Sobers

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar paid tribute to Sir Garfield Sobers after the West Indies star passed away on Friday, calling him the greatest cricketer to ever play the game and the player every child dreams of.Widely regarded as cricket’s greatest all-rounder, Sobers died at his home in Barbados 11 days before his 90th birthday. In a career spanning two decades, he set new standards in batting, bowling and fielding.“This is probably the saddest day for the game of cricket. The greatest cricketer to walk the earth has left us. No words can ever do justice to Sir Garfield Sobers, the cricketer.”“He was everything we dream of becoming when we pick up the bat or the ball as kids,” Gavaskar said, according to PTI.“The memories keep coming back to me and that’s what I will always hold close to my heart. Rest in peace Sir Garfield. You will be in our hearts forever,” he added.Sobers represented the West Indies in 93 Test matches between 1954 and 1974. He scored 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries, and also took 235 wickets.A left-arm batsman, Sobers was equally effective as a left-arm fast and medium bowler, an orthodox left-arm spinner and a left-arm spinner. He was also known as one of the best fielders and close catchers in the history of the game.His unbeaten 365 against Pakistan in 1958 was the highest individual score in Test cricket at that time. The record lasted 36 years.Another milestone came in 1968 when, while playing county cricket for Nottinghamshire, he became the first player to hit six sixes in an over of first-class cricket. This feat came against Malcolm Nash of Glamorgan.Sobers was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 for his services to cricket. In 2000, he was named one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the 20th century.His name also lives on with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, the ICC’s annual award given to the outstanding international cricketer of all formats.